Wet sanding?

[W.Pastuch]

What do y'all think about wet sanding briar?
What are the pros and cons?
I read somewhere that Bo used wet sanding, also yesterday I stumbled upon a video of some pipemaker wet sanding a stummel and it got me thinking.... I guess you would have to give the stummel additional drying time before the final finishing steps? Also while sanding through several grits of sandpaper you would be giving the briar enough time to soak up quite a lot of moisture, I guess it would have to be remedied by further drying.
What would the actual benefits be over just wetting the block between different grits of dry sandpaper?

[andrew]

Wet sanding the stummel is useful if you spend time getting used to it. Wet sanding stems is easy, wet sanding a flush fit stem/shank junction is difficult.
It's another skill set. I wet sand my stummels, but it's not the only way or easiest way. It works because of the way I apply my colors and finishes.

I don't know if I would recommend it unless someone had a good reason to start. It's not super fun.

andrew

[andrew]

Here are some of the problems I ran into:

Water in the mortise/tenon joint can loosen a good fit.
Getting a flush fit junction to match after drying (shank can shrink).
Finding scratches after progressing to the next grit is harder.
There are ways around all these, but if you are experiencing poor results with dry sanding, you will not see measurable improvement wet sanding.

andrew

[baweaverpipes]

Wet sanding briar is useless, not so with stems.

[W.Pastuch]

I thought so.

Andrew, what got you started with that technique? I'm asking 'cause there seems to be no real advantage and maybe even some extra problems to solve...?

[FC3]

wet sanding is normally used only with 400+ grit sandpaper sanding with the grain to get a smoother gloss finish on wood. However in this hobby we use buffing wheels which do this much quicker and easier so I don't see there being much point. It does raise the grain some and you could use this to lighten your dye some on the grain if for some reason you wanted to but normally we seek out the extra contrast achieved here. I tried it on my second pipe and really didn't see the point. But I'm not an expert pipe maker like some of you so I'll just leave it at I don't see the point when a buffing wheel is going to be used anyway. It just seems like an extra time consuming step to me?

[Tyler]

I thought so.

Andrew, what got you started with that technique? I'm asking 'cause there seems to be no real advantage and maybe even some extra problems to solve...?

That's why Andrew did it. It's his specialty.

[caskwith]

I tried wet sanding stummels, it caused more trouble than it was worth but it can be useful in some cases.
Wet sanding stems however produces an excellent result, far better and quicker than dry sanding I think, only do it at higher grits though, I use 500 and 1000.

[andrew]

It has to do with how I produce some contrast finishes. Not all my dark stains are dyes

andrew

[andrew]

That's why Andrew did it. It's his specialty.

I'm an engineer... if Im bored and there's no problem to solve I'll invent one

andrew

[sandahlpipe]

I have done a little experimentation with wet sanding the stummel. If you're using something to seal the stain, you can sand it without making the dye go muddy. I do think that sanding wet to 2000 grit gave me a more robust finish versus using plain wax.


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[The Smoking Yeti]

My finishes are pretty robust as well. But that's cus I mix traces of cement in with my dye.

[LatakiaLover]

My finishes are pretty robust as well. But that's cus I mix traces of cement in with my dye.

Oh yeah?

Well, I mix ground colored diamonds in mine, and seal it with transparent liquid titanium. (TLT can be made only from a Super Secret Recipe of meteorite trace element extracts and diflourocabonated oxycillic tri-brillinofic xenoprobium, so don't even ask.)

[Sasquatch]

I sand to about 180 then wax. You guys are all wasting your time.

[PremalChheda]

A little water between grits will raise grain so it does not raise after the pipe is finished and is exposed to heat and moisture.

[Sasquatch]

Alcohol-based sanding sealers do the same thing, just give a slight puff to the grain and any loose bits come up. Worthwhile part of procedure.

[andrew]

Wet sanding is also great if you have dust sensitivities.

andrew